Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-11-10
A STRANGE DELIVERANCE.

latter scenes of dramma i'm real life,
in which | played, inyoluntarily, a
leading part, which has always been
Interesting in its telling and may be
equally so when written and read.
1t was about month after the close
Of our civil war. when l was stationed
N town on the Mississippi in Louisi-
ana Wy engaged in connection with
my duties as provost marshal OF d.vis-
ion and district, in parollIng the many
coming in, most of them sick and worn,
all hungry and dirty.
Old Colonel c.. a good "reber' and
fine gentleman. considered himself UNI
his home in an ambulance, his young.
brave, gray-coated and very sick sol
der son. aud he continually invited me
10 accept his hearty, old-fashioned
Southern hospitality at the home PLAN
latons about ci ght miles from our post.
He had three young daughters, good
rebels all but pretty. bright, sensible
lad es, whose political opinions never
tainted their courtesy. | was glad TO
seek such pleasant company and often
did so.
received notice one day from the
colonel, that the next Sunday would be
little GeOrgia's birthday. that my pres
uncc would add to the ioyousness of the
occasion, and that there would he am
pie home products for egg-nog which
latter intimatiOn | well understood to
mean that | would be greatly thanked
if brought the spurious ingredients
for !he connection.
Early on the day mentioned noun
ted with two canleenS. one of whisky
and one Of Jamaica rum, fastened on
my saddle bow. and with no weapons.
Necessity required that should be in
uniform passing through our troops
and lines. and rs the day was very.
very warm. only wore flannel under
shirt beneath my closely bultoned
Oublc-breastcd coat, and strapped be-
hind me clean white garment and
two collars polished in the best style of
the laundry art. knew | would have
20 throw off my tight fitting "harness"
on my arrival to put on the light. gray
Jacket the colonel always insisted su ted
me better than the blue and and brass,
and ] wanted to look mice"
The road was long. hot and terribly
dusty. About 500 yards from my desti-
patton l stopped. picketed my horse in
Il1 the fence, retired TO II thick grove
OF high underbrush | well knew, and
through which ran little stream Of
clear water. | disrobcd and bathed.
then, fresh, cool and clean. Iprocccded
to "preparc for inspection and review. -"
was struggling with the over starched
"bilrd shirt" head and arms hidden,
when through the mullllng heard the
cracking of twigs. As | thrust my
head, with hair all tumbICd. through
the BOSOM opening of the garment.
looked directly into the muzz Is of
three rcvolvers and one shot gun. all
held within five feet Of and on level
with my head in manner not calculat-
ed TO increase mans appetite for the
contents.
Behind each weapon was vIlainous
outlaw, specimens Of that class who
were rebels and murdercrs with Union
men and murders and Yankees with the
ConfcderatcS. men who met with no
mercy or sympathy from the true sol
lers of either side. Worse still. ! rec.
ognized from descriptions often given
me, that one Of the party was Mat
Kingsley. whose house, near the post,
had been forced to take as n smallpox
hospital, and whO | heard vowed VEN
geamce upon me for the act.
There was nothing to do but throw
up my hands," and ! did it. There
was no use in arguing or pleading with
such gang so | put bold front on
the matter and tried to compromise.
had a couple of hundred dollars in
grecnbacks in my pocket and these with
my horse ! offered if they would free
me. They laughed the proposition to
scorn. They had me and all these be-
longing to me and intended TO part
with nothing. They had not expected
such luck us finding me. being on
their way to some other cOwardly,
the.ying expedition. and securing me
was pre- unexpected.
Quickly Us possible | was stripped OF
of every piece of clothing and made to
replace it with the ragged, vermin-in.
fected rags of my captors, | was
warned that if made the least cutlery
my brains woull spatter the brush i'm
mediatelv, and knew the threat was
in earnest.
Bill Kingsley, tie one l recognized,
claimed me rs his "meat." He told
the others to go on their projected IA d
while he took me to the rendezvous and
"sayed me up for their return the
next morning. Then securing my arms
behind me, and hobbliug my feet
beneath Kingsley's lean mule, which
they forced me to beslridr. three of the
party took their departure, carrying
with them one OF the canteens OF
iquor, my guard claiming the other rs
his share. He mounted my horse. and
making me ride slowly before him,
directed my way through a bride patti
in aud amongst the heavy tn ok timber
Why he did not kill me at once l dc
not know, except that he may have de
sired to prolong my torture, or t.
really keep faith with his fellows.
We rode in silence for an hour o
more. At last we came TO small
clearing; niger patch " in the centr
of which was tumbleddown hut
Here Kingsley stopped, dismounted
uniicl my feet. molioned ME to ente
the cabin and followed me.
The only occupant OF the place wa
little, thin. half-slarvcd yellow
woman. She seemed scared TO death